Cary Chicken Ban

[dhyatt]

d.k :

* Lol!!! AH! Mr. Hyatt- Does that mean if the Manfre's come back asking for the right to raise chickens in their basement that they could look forward to an approval?? Could be done. . . We have had more than one member raise a few birds indoors. Even one I am aware of fairly recently doing so in a urban center high-rise.

Can't say for sure but I would speak out in support of it.​

 

[A Carolina Chick]

Yet, another fight for the right to have chickens. The county right next to Cary. http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3320790/

 

[d.k]

* Well then, Mr. Hyatt-- Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[manfre]

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I would have to disagree. While I don't like being dismissed in the manor used by the council, the current experience has motivated me to learn about Cary politics and I have met many like minded neighbors.

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I read about this after the council meeting and sadly, I do not think it would do anything besides add another hurdle to the process. The council has already voted that regardless of facts or recommendations, they have no intention of passing this measure. The CIRC seems to be little more than a political safety net to help reduce backlash from other citizens who are ignored or dismissed. At least they realize that many of them were elected because their predecessors disregarded those they were supposed to represent.

 

[dhyatt]

Quote:
I read about this after the council meeting and sadly, I do not think it would do anything besides add another hurdle to the process. The council has already voted that regardless of facts or recommendations, they have no intention of passing this measure. The CIRC seems to be little more than a political safety net to help reduce backlash from other citizens who are ignored or dismissed. At least they realize that many of them were elected because their predecessors disregarded those they were supposed to represent.

You're partly correct with political safety net comment. However, there is one important facet to the CIRC that is otherwise unavailable to citizens - the ability to make a formal public presentation directly to Council, along with a recommended course of action. It would essentially be the staff study that was asked for sans town staff doing the bulk of the work. I would like to the CIRC work for something - in this case backyard chickens, I suppose - rather than simply against new housing / business proposals, which are likely to be the majority of cases

 

[hollyclyff]

The argument of "if you don't like it don't move to Cary" doesn't wash though. You don't have to move to Cary to be impacted by Cary. Cary is a land and power hungry monster that would take over the state if it could. There isn't enough money in the world to entice me to move to Cary, but I fear I will have to eventually move to keep from being forced into Cary. When we built our house in a completely different county we were 10 miles from Cary, now we are about 2 miles from the city (excuse me, "town") limits. And that's just in a short time. Years ago, Cary didn't engage in forced annexations, but too bad that policy was changed.
And for the record, we live in a subdivision governed by an HOA that allows chickens and we have houses for sale in our neighborhood ranging from $650,000 to 1.5 million - not exactly "low-class" or "hick". My chickens don't smell unless you stick your head in the coop when it's time for a cleaning. The coop is right behind the swimming pool where we spend a lot of time in the summer and we never smell a thing. And we've never had any problems with vermin.
The only semi-valid argument I've seen is that it doesn't fit Cary's image. I guess that's true enough for a town that makes a big issue of exactly how shiny a "shiny diner" can be or exactly what shade of pink is too pink, etc.

<edited for spelling>

 

[mango1612]

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Thanks for saying it--my thoughts exactly! When I lived near Apex (not in 'town') we were very close to having cary annex our rural farming neighborhood.
Ah, I remember the shiny diner issue now, I'd forgotten!

 

[alissam]

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Councilman Smith's correct in terms of the zoning's intention. However, that is not the current law as you obviously already know - and that's what really matters. I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that land will not be rezoned to R-40 because R-40 is already the lowest density base zoning available. Theoretically, you could take multiple lots with higher zoning designations, combine them and get the results zoned R-40 but I don't see that ever happening.

There are HOA rules which trump town ordinances on many these kinds of issues. That is why you see 1+ acre lots that don't allow backyard chickens (and numerous other things for that matter). And don't misread the 4-3 vote. Councilwoman Julie Robison is the only member remotely interested in allowing chickens in Cary backyards. The other two women were simply acting a bit political.

The 1+ acre lots that wouldn't allow chickens in our neighborhood do not have HOAs. We live in an HOA free part of Cary. The whole neighborhood is zoned R-12, however, so for these people to be allowed to keep chickens, they would have to apply to be rezoned R-40. And if they WERE rezoned R-40, they could keep 50 chickens and 5 roosters if they felt like it. Plus some goats and perhaps a pig or horse or two, as long as the barn was 300 feet from a house.

The point is, the 'we do allow chickens in Cary on 40000 sq ft lots' excuse is a lie. They allow chickens in the very very few part of town zoned R-40. R-40, also, was stated as 0.9 acres, not 1, by one of the planning and zoning people who spoke.

We have 0.83 acres. Why, exactly, should we not be allowed to have 6 chickens? I have yet to hear a decent and logical argument against it. Our neighbors support it. A majority of feedback the council received SUPPORTED it (per public records request, 11 families emailed in support + us , only 4 against).

We do plan on going to the new Environmental Commission, as well as the Citizen Issue Review Commission. In the meantime, we'll be organizing to demonstrate the support this measure has in the community. I've talked to people at my office, and the 3 people who live in Cary think it'd be awesome. Several people who live in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Chapel Hill also think it would be great. One Cary resident disagrees, simply because she thinks 'Cary will never go for it.' Which is not, really, an argument against chickens. It's really an argument saying the town is stuck up--which isn't even true, especially since significantly more people (council aside) have shown support for it than have shown opposition.

As for the comment that the other two women were simply acting political, how, exactly, do you know this? Are you best buddies with everyone on council? Or is there a major gender divide issue with council? I haven't noticed a gender split occuring on many other votes, so I'm wondering where, exactly, your statement came from.

Isn't there also the possibility that Gale was simply voting based on the feedback she recieved? She stated that the responses she got regarding the issue were 5:1 in FAVOR of it.

 

[emandmikey]

I'm not going to continue arguing with dhyatt, I have my own town to deal with.

I just wanted to let everyone on here know that there's a story about Wake Forest coming out in the Raleigh N&O tomorrow, and we'll be at the Wake Forest Farmer's Market on Saturday morning if you want to come out and show your support!

Are any of you in Wake Forest? If you are, I hope you will sign the petition to change the ordinance regarding chickens. Please visit http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/WakeForestChickens/ to read the petition, and if you have any questions, you can email or PM me! Thanks! Em

 

[Big Hen]

Wow, I didn't realize that chickens were so controversial. Lots of world class cities such as New York City, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Seattle and Portland, OR, are chicken-friendly. Why wouldn't a place be? The reasons given here make no sense to me.